ECT

Question 1

How it works

Answer 1

And electrical current is passed between two scalp electrodes to create a seizure and electrode is placed above the temple of the non-dominant side of the brain, a second in the middle
They are injected with barbiturate so they are unconscious they are also given a nerve blocking agent pyrolysing the muscles of the body to prevent them contracting and causing fractures

Question 2

How long does the ECT last?

Answer 2

A small current for about half a second is passed the seizure lasts up to a minute patient usually has 3 to 15 treatments

Question 3

Effectiveness of ECT - Tharyan and Adams

Answer 3

Reviewed 26 studies 798 patients all together they included a range of studies that compare to ECT to A placebo condition and antipsychotic medication

Question 4

Tharyan and Adamns findings

Answer 4

They found more people improved in the real ECT but there was no indication that this advantage was maintained over the medium or long-term
Medication was more effective

Question 5

Tharyan and Adams conclusion

Answer 5

They concluded a combination of ECT and medication may be appropriate when rapid reduction of symptoms is required – or when patients show limited response to just medication

Question 6

Serika et al

Answer 6

Compare to ECT with simulated ECT and found no difference

Question 7

Psychiatric Association review

Answer 7

Concluded that ECT produced results that we know different or worse than antipsychotic medication

Question 8

Risk Association

Answer 8

Including memory dysfunction, brain damage and even death

UK the decline between 1979 and 1999 was 59%

Question 9

Historical origins

Answer 9

The first studies of clinical use of this technique significantly for treatment of schizophrenia with disappointing with lower rate of recovery for ECT patience compare to those who didn’t receive the ECT- karagula